LOS ANGELES – Flames roared up brush-covered ridges in the Hollywood Hills on Friday, giving the city a major wildfire scare but leaving nearby neighborhoods and entertainment industry complexes unharmed except for a choking blanket of smoke.

The fire started next to the Oakwood Toluca Hills, a corporate housing complex northwest of downtown, and spread rapidly up the north face of the hills, covering 150 acres before it began to lose intensity.

For several hours, smoke roiled into the sky behind the famous Hollywood sign that stands on the south face of the hills, but the flames made no move down the south face and by late afternoon the landmark appeared to be well out of any danger.

Nonetheless, dozens of people gathered at the foot of the hills to take pictures of the sign and smoke.

“If it burns, we would be losing an icon,” said Russ Mitchell, a Los Angeles resident.

There were no reports of structural damage, he said. The blaze was reported at 12:50 p.m. The cause was under investigation.

“I don’t know the exact last date we’ve seen a fire in this particular area but the hills are prone to fires throughout the year,” Myers said. “This is just a little bit earlier than what we normally see.”

Southern California is parched after an extremely dry winter that left rainfall levels more than 11 inches below normal. Just 2.47 inches have fallen since July 1.

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